Vibrator



Dec. 26, 1944. R. L. JOHVNSTONE VIBRATOR Original FiIed Aug. 21, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 1 r Fig. 2.

Patented Dec. 26, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VIBRATOR Plobert L. Johnstone, University City, Mo.

8 Claims. (CI. 7461) This invention relates to vibrators for impartingvibratory or reciprocal motion to various types of devices, such asscreens for different purposes, feeders, classifiers, conveyors, andother mechanisms.

Objects of the invention are to provide an improved vibrator mechanismfor translating a continuous rotary motion into a vibratory or straightline reciprocal motion and imparting said vibratory or straight linereciprocal motion to the operated device such as a screen, etc.; toprovide a continuously rotated vibrator mechanism having the weightsthat effect or create vibration arranged to distribute the forces over amuch wider area, approximately 180 more or less, than other types ofvibrators now in general use and with which I am familiar; to provide animproved vibrator mechanism having a rotaryshaft driven by the motor, incombination with a tubular shaft or sleeve mounted concentrically onsaid first shaft and having a weight attached thereto between weightsthat are attached to the driven shaft; to provide a novel system ofbearings for supporting the driven shaft and the tubular shaft orsleeve, respectively, so that the weight and forces of each shaft aresupported independently of the other shaft, thus relieving each shaftfrom forces, strains, and stresses of the other shaft; and to provide anovel system of gearing for rotating the tubular shaft or sleeve by thecoaxial driven shaft in order to create vibration and distribute theforces over approximately 180 more or less.

Other objects will appear from the following description, referencebeing made to the annexed drawings, in which- Fig. 1 ma top plan view ofa vibrator and cooperating mechanism constructed and assembled inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the vibrator and 40 mechanism shown inFig. 2, parts being broken away to show other parts in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the vibratormechanism on the line 3-3 of Fig, 4 is a side elevation of one of theweights showing the relatively wider area thereof for distributing thevibratory forces over approximately 180 more or less.

This is a division of my copending application Serial No. 455,657, filedAugust 21, 1942, now PatentNo. 2,325,2 18, July 27, 1943, for Vibrator.

The present invention for translating a continuous rotary motion into avibratory or reciprocal motion, and thereby imparting a vibratory orreciprocal motion to the ultimate device to be operated, is shownassembled and mounted for imparting such motion to a screen or the like.In the embodiment chosen for illustration of thelinvention, the device Ito be vibrated is 60 supported by pairs of trunnions 2 having thetrunnions of each pair axially alined. While the device l is shown in anapproximate horizontal position, it is plain that said device may bemounted in a vertical position, or at any angle between horizontal andvertical positions. The

trunnions 2 are supported in bearings 3 provided with elastic bushings,as disclosed in my said copending application. The bearings 3 aredetachably connected with the upper ends of flat springs 4. The lowerends of said springs are detachably secured to supporting members 5constituting a part of a rigid frame 6. The inherent resiliency of theflat springs 4 will cooperate with the vibrator or actuating mechanismto move or return the device I toan initial or starting position whenthe actuator orvibrator is stopped. The springs 4 are-freely bendablethroughout theirilengths so-tha-t 'theJtenden-c to crystallize ordeteriorate as a result of their bending operations is minimized.Further, the elastic bushings in the bearings 3 additionally reduce thetendency toward deteriorationof the springs 4.

The unit .of the apparatus for imparting vibratory or reciprocal motionto any device such as the device I is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The principal parts of the unit ar enclosed in a housing comprising endmembers I and 8 and an intermediate housing member 9. These threehousing members are assembled in endwise abut- I tin arrangement and-arerigidly secured to ether by removable and replaceable bolts Ill. Theintermediate housing member 9 encloses integral webs l I which arespaced apart about the same distance that separates them from therespective end walls of the housing.

A power-driven shaft I2 is journalled in bearings l3 and M in the endhousing members 1 and 8, respectively. One end of the shaft l2 projectsthrough an appropriate bushing in a covering cap I 5 attachedto the endmember I, and the opposite end of ,saidshaft l2 and its bearing Marecovered and enclosedby a cap [6 detachably secured to the end member 8.r

A tubular shaft or sleeve I! is mounted on and is coaxial with thedriven shaft l2. As shown,

the shaft or sleeve H is much shorter than the shaft.l2,-leaving theendsof the shaft 12 projecting beyond the shaft I1 and into ,thebearings l3 and I l. The bushing or sleeve [1 has its ends journalled inbearings-l8 mounted in and supported by the two webs I l in axialalinement with each other and with the bearings l3 and I4. This novelsystem of bearings supports the driven shaft l2 and the tubular shaft orsleeve ll, respectively,; so that the weight and forces of each shaftare supported independently of the other shaft, thus relievingeach-shaft from forces, strains and stresses of the other shaft. Thetubular shaft orsleeve, ll isheld from endwise 2,866,083 shaft forrotating said'tubular shaft and thereby said second weight.

2. Mechanism for producing and imparting vibratory motion comprising ahousing supported for vibratory movement-sconnections for impartingvibratory movements of said housing to a device to be vibrated, a drivenrotary shaft supported by said housing for rotation, a pair of spacedalined unitary and radially immovable weights each having acircumferential length of about 180 attached to said shaft for rotationthereby, a pair of spaced bearings supported in ugal fonces throughabout 360 when said secondweight is diametrically opposite from saidfirst weights, axially alined gears attached to said first shaft and tosaid tubular shaft respectively, and

a gear for rotating said gear that is attached to said tubular shaft bysaid gear that is attached to said driven shaft. w

' 3. Mechanism for producing and imparting vibratory motion comprising ahousing, a driven shaft, a tubular shaft in said housing coaxial withsaid driven shaft, separate pairs of axially alined bear ngs supportingsaid driven shaft and said tubular shaft for rotation in oppositedirections, means for rotating said driven shaft, gearing for rotatingsaid tubular shaft by and in the opposite direction from said drivenshaft, and unitary and radially immovable weights attached to and whollysupported at all times by said shafts rebratory motion comprising twocoaxial shafts of different lengths, bearings for supporting the longerof said two shafts, a pair of additional bearings located between saidfirst bearings supporting the shorter of said two shafts, mechanism forrotating said longer shaft, gearing for rotating said shorter shaft bysaid longer shaft, and unitary and radially immovable weights attachedto and wholly supported at all times by said shafts respectively andeach having an arc of at least 180 providing a substantially even anduniform flow of centrifugal force when said shafts are rotated.

5. Mechanism for producing and imparting vibratory motion comprisingtwo'coaxial shafts one of which is longer than th other, spaced bearingsfor supporting said longer shaft, a pair of additional bearings locatedbetween said first bearings and supporting said other shaft, gearingiorrotating said other shaft'by said longer shafft, unitary and radiallyimmovable weights attached to and wholly supported at all times by saidlonger shaft beyond the ends of said other shaft and each having an arcof at least 180, a unitary arc of at least 180 and'cooperating with saidfirst weights to provide substantially even and.

uniform flow of centrifugal fonce when said two shafts are rotated, andmechanism for rotating said longer shaft.

6. Mechanism for producing and imparting vibratory motion comprising twoend bearings and two intermediate bearings. between and axially alinedwith said end bearings, a tubular shaft journalled in said intermediatebearings, a driven shaft extending through and rotative in said tubularshaft and journalled in said end bearings, gearing for rotating saidtubular shaft by said driven shaft in the opposite direction of rotationof said driven shaft, a pair of spaced alined unitary and radiallyimmovable weights attached to and wholly supported at all times by saiddriven shaft laterally beyond said intermediate bearings, and a weightattached to said tubular shaft between said intermediatev bearings andhaving about the same circumferential length as said first named weightsand cooperating therewith. to distribute centrifugal forces through acomplete circle when said second weight is diametri cally opposite fromsaid first weights.

7. Mechanism for producing and imparting vibratory motion comprising aframe supported for vibration, two end bearings and two intermediatebearings between and axially alined with said end bearings, means forsupporting all of said bearings in said frame, a tubular shaftjournalled in said intermediate bearings and terminating short of saidnd bearings, a driven shaft extending through and beyond the ends ofsaid tubular shaft and journalled in said end bearings, a gear wheelattached to said driven shaft, a complementary gear wheel attached tosaid tubular shaft between said intermediate bearings, a gear engagingboth of said gear wheels for rotating said tubular shaft by andoppositely from said driven shaft, a pair of spaced alined unitary andradially immovable weights attached to and wholly supported at all timesby said driven shaft laterally beyond said intermediate bearings andbetween said end bearings, and a unitary and radially immovable weightattached to and wholly supported at all times by said tubular shaftbetween said intermediate bearings and having about the same weight asthe sum of said pair of weights.

8. A unit for imparting vibratory or reciprocal motion comprising twoend members, an intermediate member rigidly and detachably secured tosaid end members, two end bearings mountedin said end members, twointermediate bearings supported by said intermediate member between andin axial alinement with said end bearings,

a tubular shaft journalled in said intermediate bearings and terminatingshort of said end bearings, a driven shaft extending through androtative in said tubular shaft and journalled inv said end bearings,gear wheels attached to said tubular shaft and said driven shaftrespectively at opposite sides of one of said intermediate bearings, agear engaging said two gear wheels for rotating said tubular shaft byand oppositely from said driven shaft, a pair of alined unitary andradially immovable weights attached to and wholly supported at all timesby said driven shaft laterally beyond said intermediate bearings, and aunitary and radially immovable weight attached to and wholly supportedat all times by said tubular shaft between said intermediate bearingsand ROBERT L. J OHNSTONE.

